DOCSLIB.ORG

Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections July 30, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46858 Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 European Elections in 2021 ............................................................................................................. 2 European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections ........................................................................ 3 Figures Figure 1. European Elections Scheduled for 2021 .......................................................................... 3 Tables Table 1. European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections .......................................................... 3 Contacts Author Information .......................................................................................................................... 6 Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Introduction This report provides a map of parliamentary and presidential elections that have been held or are scheduled to hold at the national level in Europe in 2021, and a table of recent and upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections at the national level in Europe. It includes dates for direct elections only, and excludes indirect elections.1 Europe is defined in this product as the fifty countries under the portfolio of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The report does not include the Holy See (Vatican City), as there are not any direct presidential or parliamentary elections held there. Electoral rules and governance structures can vary widely across European countries. Fourteen European countries have held or are scheduled to hold direct presidential and/or parliamentary elections in 2021. Some dates may be subject to change due to snap elections, parliamentary votes of no confidence, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, or other factors. Thus far in 2021, snap elections have been called in Kosovo, Armenia, Bulgaria, and Moldova.2 Parliament, or the legislative body, may be unicameral, with one legislative chamber, or bicameral, with a lower and upper chamber. In bicameral systems, the lower chamber is usually directly elected by the people and is the more powerful of the two (for example, the House of Commons in the United Kingdom). The upper chamber is frequently appointed or indirectly elected, and has more limited powers (for example, the House of Lords in the United Kingdom). Both the lower and upper chambers are directly elected in six countries (Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland). The presidential election process in European countries varies.3 In the majority of European countries, presidents or heads of state are elected directly by the people in a popular vote; however, in thirteen countries, presidents are indirectly elected by Members of Parliament.4 There are twelve monarchies in Europe, including the Holy See.5 In lieu of a president, monarchs 1 A direct election is an election where a political party or elected representative is chosen directly through a vote of the citizens. An indirect election is one where the citizens vote for an intermediate body that is empowered to select the elected official(s). 2 In a parliamentary system, a snap election is an election that is held prior to its regularly scheduled date. Such elections are often called by the ruling leader when party leaders believe they will make electoral gains. 3 In parliamentary republics, the president as head of state typically has a ceremonial and largely nonpolitical role. In these republics, executive power arises from the legislature and is vested in a prime minister as head of government. In some parliamentary republics, the prime minister is chosen as part of political party negotiations following parliamentary elections; in others, the prime minister may be chosen by the president and/or approved by the parliament. The role of prime minister is often fulfilled by the leader of the majority party or majority coalition of parliament. In presidential republics, presidents are elected directly by the people and serve as both the head of state and the head of government. Cyprus and Turkey are the only countries in Europe with a full presidential system. See Table 1, footnote h for more information on Turkey. Semi-presidential republics, such as France, are a hybrid of these systems, providing for both a directly elected president and a prime minister responsible to parliament. 4 The thirteen countries are Albania, Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Malta, San Marino, and Switzerland. 5 Per the CIA World Factbook, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are considered constitutional monarchies. Belgium is referred to as a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy. The Holy See is labeled an ecclesiastical elective monarchy (or "absolute monarchy"). Andorra is considered a “parliamentary democracy” that retains its heads of state in the form of a co- principality; “the two princes–the president of France and the Spanish bishop of Urgell–serve with joint authority as heads of state.” For more information see https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/. Congressional Research Service 1 Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections typically serve as the head of state with limited or ceremonial powers.6 In these instances, presidential elections are denoted as N/A or non-applicable in the table below. CRS has gathered the information presented in this report from numerous sources, including the U.S. Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) World Factbook, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and other news sources. Figure 1 includes a map and calendar of the European parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled to be held in 2021, including those already held. Table 1 provides the dates of the last and next parliamentary and presidential direct elections in Europe. The “last election/runoff” column displays the dates of the most recent direct parliamentary and/or presidential elections. In many instances, the “last election/runoff” column includes more than one date, as parliamentary and/or presidential elections may occur in two- rounds with the top two candidates from an initial election advancing to a runoff election if no candidate receives a majority (this is the system in France). The “next election” column indicates the projected date when the next direct national election is expected to be held, based on law or practice. In most European countries, general elections occur at least once every four to six years. Unless laws or decisions in a particular country set a specific election day, dates are calculated based on the dates of the most recent election and length of the term. Elections that are expected to occur by a specific month/year are listed in the table according to that month/year. European Elections in 2021 Fourteen European countries have held or are scheduled to hold presidential and/or parliamentary elections in 2021. These dates may be subject to change due to snap elections, parliamentary votes of no confidence, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, or other factors. 6 Some parliamentary systems, such as that of the United Kingdom, coexist with hereditary monarchies. In these systems, called parliamentary constitutional monarchies, monarchs typically serve as the head of state with limited or ceremonial powers. Prime ministers serve as the head of government, and may be appointed formally by the monarch, based on election results and often with the approval of parliament. Congressional Research Service 2 Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Figure 1. European Elections Scheduled for 2021 Source: Created by CRS, using data from the U.S. Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) World Factbook, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and other news sources. Notes: Table is current as of July 16, 2021. Table includes direct elections only. Europe is defined as the fifty countries (excluding the Holy See) under the portfolio of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Table 1. European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Country Parliamentary Elections Presidential Elections Last Election/ Next Election Last Election/ Next Election Runoff Runoff Albania Apr. 25, 2021 Apr. 2026 Indirect Indirect Congressional Research Service 3 Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Country Parliamentary Elections Presidential Elections Last Election/ Next Election Last Election/ Next Election Runoff Runoff Andorra Apr. 7, 2019 Apr. 2023 N/A N/A Armenia June 20, 2021 June 2026a Indirect Indirect Austria Sept. 29, 2019 Sept. 2024 April 24, 2016/ Apr. 2022 Dec. 4, 2016b Azerbaijanc Feb. 9, 2020 Feb. 2025 Apr. 11, 2018 Apr. 2025 Belarusc Nov. 17, 2019 Nov. 2023 Aug. 9, 2020 Aug. 2025 Belgium May 26, 2019 May 2024 N/A N/A Bosnia and Oct. 7, 2018 Oct. 2022 Oct. 7, 2018 Oct. 2022 Herzegovina Bulgaria July 11, 2021d July
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CRITICAL THEORY and AUTHORITARIAN POPULISM Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism
    CDSMS EDITED BY JEREMIAH MORELOCK CRITICAL THEORY AND AUTHORITARIAN POPULISM Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism edited by Jeremiah Morelock Critical, Digital and Social Media Studies Series Editor: Christian Fuchs The peer-reviewed book series edited by Christian Fuchs publishes books that critically study the role of the internet and digital and social media in society. Titles analyse how power structures, digital capitalism, ideology and social struggles shape and are shaped by digital and social media. They use and develop critical theory discussing the political relevance and implications of studied topics. The series is a theoretical forum for in- ternet and social media research for books using methods and theories that challenge digital positivism; it also seeks to explore digital media ethics grounded in critical social theories and philosophy. Editorial Board Thomas Allmer, Mark Andrejevic, Miriyam Aouragh, Charles Brown, Eran Fisher, Peter Goodwin, Jonathan Hardy, Kylie Jarrett, Anastasia Kavada, Maria Michalis, Stefania Milan, Vincent Mosco, Jack Qiu, Jernej Amon Prodnik, Marisol Sandoval, Se- bastian Sevignani, Pieter Verdegem Published Critical Theory of Communication: New Readings of Lukács, Adorno, Marcuse, Honneth and Habermas in the Age of the Internet Christian Fuchs https://doi.org/10.16997/book1 Knowledge in the Age of Digital Capitalism: An Introduction to Cognitive Materialism Mariano Zukerfeld https://doi.org/10.16997/book3 Politicizing Digital Space: Theory, the Internet, and Renewing Democracy Trevor Garrison Smith https://doi.org/10.16997/book5 Capital, State, Empire: The New American Way of Digital Warfare Scott Timcke https://doi.org/10.16997/book6 The Spectacle 2.0: Reading Debord in the Context of Digital Capitalism Edited by Marco Briziarelli and Emiliana Armano https://doi.org/10.16997/book11 The Big Data Agenda: Data Ethics and Critical Data Studies Annika Richterich https://doi.org/10.16997/book14 Social Capital Online: Alienation and Accumulation Kane X.
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary Elections in Austria -‐ Social Democrats Remain Stable, Gains for P
    Parliamentary elections in Austria - Social Democrats remain stable, gains for right-wing parties By Maria Maltschnig, director of the Karl-Renner-Institute1 October 2017 The SPÖ has retained its 52 mandates, but has had to hand over first place to the conservative ÖVP, which gained 7.5 percentage points. The SPÖ gained more than 100,000 votes in total. The SPÖ was able to win votes mostly from non-voters and former green voters, but mostly lost votes to the right-wing populist FPÖ. Overall, we see a shift of about 4% points from the left-wing parties to the right. The liberal NEOS, which cannot be attributed to either of the two camps, remained stable, while the Greens suffered heavy losses and remained below the 4% hurdle to enter the National Parliament. Even if this is hardly a landslide victory for the right-wing parties, there is still a clear shift to the right. In addition to the percentage movement in favour of the right-wing parties, a clear rhetorical and substantive reorientation of the ÖVP from being a classical conservative party to being a party with right-wing populist tendencies can also be observed. The programmes of the ÖVP and FPÖ extensively overlap. There are three major reasons for this result: 1) Since the summer of 2015, when hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants travelled through Austria - many of whom have stayed - the issues of asylum, migration and integration have dominated the debate and are strongly associated with issues of internal security and crime. Many Austrians perceived the events of 2015 and thereafter as a severe loss of control by the state and politicians.
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary, Presidential and Semi-Presidential Democracies Democracies Are Often Classified According to the Form of Government That They Have
    Parliamentary, Presidential and Semi-Presidential Democracies Democracies are often classified according to the form of government that they have: • Parliamentary • Presidential • Semi-Presidential Legislative responsibility refers to a situation in which a legislative majority has the constitutional power to remove a government from office without cause. A vote of confidence is initiated by the government { the government must resign if it fails to obtain a legislative majority. A vote of no confidence is initiated by the legislature { the government must resign if it fails to obtain a legislative majority. A constructive vote of no confidence must indicate who will replace the government if the incumbent loses a vote of no confidence. A vote of no confidence is initiated by the legislature { the government must resign if it fails to obtain a legislative majority. A constructive vote of no confidence must indicate who will replace the government if the incumbent loses a vote of no confidence. A vote of confidence is initiated by the government { the government must resign if it fails to obtain a legislative majority. The defining feature of presidential democracies is that they do not have legislative responsibility. • US Government Shutdown, click here In contrast, parliamentary and semi-presidential democracies both have legislative responsibility. • PM Question Time (UK), click here In addition to legislative responsibility, semi-presidential democracies also have a head of state who is popularly elected for a fixed term. A head of state is popularly elected if she is elected through a process where voters either (i) cast a ballot directly for a candidate or (ii) they cast ballots to elect an electoral college, whose sole purpose is to elect the head of state.
    [Show full text]
  • Outcome Report
    Outcome Report August, 2019 About the R20 AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT The R20 AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT is a long-term initiative to create a network platform that will help regions, states and cities implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals and meet the global climate protection targets outlined in the Paris Agreement. Our goal is to bring everyone together in order to increase partnerships and exchange experiences and ideas. It is critical that we stay inspired and motivated in our efforts to implement the SDGs and to find effective ways to learn from one another. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the R20 AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT in 2017, under the direction of R20 Austria&EU Director Monika Langthaler and under the patronage of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. On the basis of this initiative, a major international climate conference is held once a year in the Vienna Hofburg. What we want to achieve: • Raising awareness for climate change • Showcasing innovative projects for climate protection • Matchmaking for green solutions Imprint R20 AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT Vienna, August 2019 www.austrianworldsummit.com Outcome Report | R20 AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT 19 2 Table of Content Key Messages ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction: Goals and Guests ................................................................................................................................... 4 Opening Show ....................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Influence of Austrian Voting Right of 1907 on the First Electoral Law of the Successor States (Poland, Romania [Bukovina], Czechoslovakia)
    ISSN 2411-9563 (Print) European Journal of Social Sciences May-August 2014 ISSN 2312-8429 (Online) Education and Research Volume 1, Issue 1 The influence of Austrian voting right of 1907 on the first electoral law of the successor states (Poland, Romania [Bukovina], Czechoslovakia) Dr Andrzej Dubicki Uniwersytet Łódzki Abstract As a result of collapse of the Central Powers in 1918 in Central Europe have emerged new national states e.g. Poland, Czechoslowakia, Hungaria, SHS Kingdom some of states that have existed before the Great War have changed their boundaries e.g. Romania, Bulgaria. But what is most important newly created states have a need to create their constituencies, so they needed a electoral law. There is a question in what manner they have used the solutions that have been used before the war in the elections held to the respective Parliaments (mostly to the Austrian or Hungarian parliament) and in case of Poland to the Tzarist Duma or Prussian and German Parliament. In the paper author will try to compare Electoral Laws that were used in Poland Czechoslowakia, and Romania [Bukowina]. The first object will be connected with the question in what matter the Austrian electoral law have inspired the solutions used in respective countries after the Great War. The second object will be connected with showing similarities between electoral law used in so called opening elections held mainly in 1919 in Austria-Hungary successor states. The third and final question will be connected with development of the electoral rules in respective countries and with explaining the reasons for such changes and its influence on the party system in respective country: multiparty in Czechoslovakia, hybrid in Romania.
    [Show full text]
  • Clarity on Swiss Taxes 2019
    Clarity on Swiss Taxes Playing to natural strengths 4 16 Corporate taxation Individual taxation Clarity on Swiss Taxes EDITORIAL Welcome Switzerland remains competitive on the global tax stage according to KPMG’s “Swiss Tax Report 2019”. This annual study analyzes corporate and individual tax rates in Switzerland and internationally, analyzing data to draw comparisons between locations. After a long and drawn-out reform process, the Swiss Federal Act on Tax Reform and AHV Financing (TRAF) is reaching the final stages of maturity. Some cantons have already responded by adjusting their corporate tax rates, and others are sure to follow in 2019 and 2020. These steps towards lower tax rates confirm that the Swiss cantons are committed to competitive taxation. This will be welcomed by companies as they seek stability amid the turbulence of global protectionist trends, like tariffs, Brexit and digital service tax. It’s not just in Switzerland that tax laws are being revised. The national reforms of recent years are part of a global shift towards international harmonization but also increased legislation. For tax departments, these regulatory developments mean increased pressure. Their challenge is to safeguard compliance, while also managing the risk of double or over-taxation. In our fast-paced world, data-driven technology and digital enablers will play an increasingly important role in achieving these aims. Peter Uebelhart Head of Tax & Legal, KPMG Switzerland Going forward, it’s important that Switzerland continues to play to its natural strengths to remain an attractive business location and global trading partner. That means creating certainty by finalizing the corporate tax reform, building further on its network of FTAs, delivering its “open for business” message and pressing ahead with the Digital Switzerland strategy.
    [Show full text]
  • Reuse of Egyptian Coffins in the 21St Dynasty
    PROCEEDINGS FIRST VATICAN COFFIN CONFERENCE 19-22 JUNE 2013 VOLUME 1 VATICAN COFFIN PROJECT Reparto Antichità Egizie e del Vicino Oriente Laboratorio di Diagnostica per la Conservazione ed il Restauro Massachusetts Chapter THANKS to Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums Edited by Alessia Amenta and Hélène Guichard Scientific Text Editing Mario Cappozzo, Agnese Iob Editorial Direction Barbara Jatta Editorial Board Barbara Jatta, Arnold Nesselrath, Paolo Nicolini, Alessia Amenta, Carla Cecilia, Guido Cornini, Federico Di Cesare, Micol Forti, Cristina Pantanella, Stefano Pierangelini, Maurizio Sannibale, Giandomenico Spinola Editorial Office Federico Di Cesare, Valerio Brienza, Simona Tarantino Photo Credits Photos © Governatorato SCV, Direzione dei Musei Images and Rights Office: Rosanna Di Pinto, Filippo Petrignani Secretary for Departments: Daniela Valci, Gianfranco Mastrangeli Photographers: Pietro Zigrossi, Alessandro Bracchetti, Giampaolo Capone, Luigi Giordano, Danilo Pivato, Alessandro Prinzivalle All the other references are indicated in the photo credits list at the end of the book. Graphic Design and Pagination Giulia Angelini Printing Tipografia Vaticana ISBN 978-88-8271-404-8 (2 volumes not to be sold separately) © Edizioni Musei Vaticani 2017 Città del Vaticano www.museivaticani.va All rights reserved. Translation, electronic memorisation, reproduction, full or partial adaptation by any means (including microfilm and photocopying) is strictly prohibited in all countries. Front and rear cover images: Coffin lid of Djedmut and details, inv. MV25008 (photo by Danilo Pivato, © Governatorato SCV, Direzione dei Musei) PROCEEDINGS FIRST VATICAN COFFIN CONFERENCE 19-22 JUNE 2013 VOLUME 1 edited by ALESSIA AMENTA and HÉLÈNE GUICHARD EDIZIONI MUSEI VATICANI CONTENTS Volume 1 Foreword ALESSIA AMENTA 15 MOHAMED I. ABOUELATA, MANAL A.
    [Show full text]
  • Labour Markets in the Western Balkans
    2019 AND 2020 LABOUR MARKETS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS 2019 and 2020 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 9 2. The WB economies and labour markets 11 2.1. Labour markets in the Western Balkans 12 2.1.1. Working age population and inactivity 12 2.1.2. Labour force participation rates: gender and education gaps 14 2.1.3. Employment rates: gender and education gaps 15 Acknowledgements 2.1.4. Persistence of informal employment 17 2.1.5. Unemployment rates 18 This Study was prepared under the overall guidance of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in the 2.1.6. Migration 20 framework of the Employment and Social A!airs Platform (ESAP 2), regional project, funded by the EU. 2.1.7. Improvements in real wages 21 3. LABOUR MARKETS AND COVID-19 in 2020 23 Authors of the LABOUR MARKETS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS 2019 AND 2020 Study are 3.1. Macroeconomic impact of COVID-19 in 2020 23 Author and lead editor: Dr. William Bartlett 3.2. Measures adopted to fight the pandemic 25 and 3.3. Factors a!ecting di!erent sectors 26 Author: Dr. Nermin Oruc 3.4. Labour market developments in 2020 28 With technical support by: Amela Kurta, MA 3.4.1. Labour market participation (activity) rates in 2020 28 3.4.2. Employment rates in 2020 29 Publisher: Regional Cooperation Council 3.4.3. Unemployment rates in 2020 30 Editor: Dr Amira Ramhorst 3.4.4. Youth unemployment rates in 2020 31 3.4.5. Registered job seekers 32 Trg Bosne i Hercegovine 1/V, 71000 Sarajevo 3.4.6.
    [Show full text]
  • Extreme Gerrymandering & the 2018 Midterm
    EXTREME GERRYMANDERING & THE 2018 MIDTERM by Laura Royden, Michael Li, and Yurij Rudensky Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law ABOUT THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to reform, revitalize — and when necessary defend — our country’s systems of democracy and justice. At this critical moment, the Brennan Center is dedicated to protecting the rule of law and the values of Constitutional democracy. We focus on voting rights, campaign finance reform, ending mass incarceration, and preserving our liberties while also maintaining our national security. Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting-edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, the courts, and in the court of public opinion. ABOUT THE CENTER’S DEMOCRACY PROGRAM The Brennan Center’s Democracy Program works to repair the broken systems of American democracy. We encourage broad citizen participation by promoting voting and campaign finance reform. We work to secure fair courts and to advance a First Amendment jurisprudence that puts the rights of citizens — not special interests — at the center of our democracy. We collaborate with grassroots groups, advocacy organizations, and government officials to eliminate the obstacles to an effective democracy. ABOUT THE BRENNAN CENTER’S PUBLICATIONS Red cover | Research reports offer in-depth empirical findings. Blue cover | Policy proposals offer innovative, concrete reform solutions. White cover | White papers offer a compelling analysis of a pressing legal or policy issue.
    [Show full text]
  • The Executive Power Clause
    ARTICLE THE EXECUTIVE POWER CLAUSE JULIAN DAVIS MORTENSON† Article II of the Constitution vests “the executive power” in the President. Advocates of presidential power have long claimed that this phrase was originally understood as a term of art for the full suite of powers held by a typical eighteenth- century monarch. In its strongest form, this view yields a powerful presumption of indefeasible presidential authority in the arenas of foreign affairs and national security. This so-called Vesting Clause Thesis is conventional wisdom among constitutional originalists. But it is also demonstrably wrong. Based on a comprehensive review of Founding-era archives—including records of drafting, legislative, and ratication debates, committee les, private and ocial correspondence, diaries, newspapers, pamphlets, poetry, and other publications—this Article not only refutes the Vesting Clause Thesis as a statement of the original understanding, but replaces it with a comprehensive armative account of the clause that is both historically and theoretically coherent. † James G. Phillipp Professor of law, University of Michigan. Thanks to Nick Bagley, Josh Chafetz, Reece Dameron, Jo Ann Davis, Brian Finucane, Louis Fisher, David Gerson, Jonathan Gienapp, Monica Hakimi, Jason Hart, Don Herzog, Kian Hudson, Daniel Hulsebosch, Rebecca Ingber, Andrew Kent, Gary Lawson, Marty Lederman, Tom McSweeney, Henry Monaghan, Bill Novak, David Pozen, Richard Primus, Daphna Renan, Jed Shugerman, Matt Steilen, Valentina Vadi, Matt Waxman, John Witt, Ilan Wurman, and Mariah Zeisberg, as well as participants in the Georgetown Law School Legal History Workshop, the Hofstra Law School Faculty Workshop, the Hugh & Hazel Darling Originalism Works-in-Progress Conference, the McGeorge School of Law Faculty Workshop, the Michigan Law School Governance Workshop, the University of Michigan Legal History Workshop, and the University of Michigan Atlantic History Seminar, for helpful comments on earlier drafts.
    [Show full text]
  • OEA/Ser.G CP/Doc. 4115/06 8 May 2006 Original: English REPORT OF
    OEA/Ser.G CP/doc. 4115/06 8 May 2006 Original: English REPORT OF THE ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION IN BOLIVIA PRESIDENTIAL AND PREFECTS ELECTIONS 2005 This document is being distributed to the permanent missions and will be presented to the Permanent Council of the Organization ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES REPORT OF THE ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION IN BOLIVIA PRESIDENTIAL AND PREFECTS ELECTIONS 2005 Secretariat for Political Affairs This version is subject to revision and will not be available to the public pending consideration, as the case may be, by the Permanent Council CONTENTS MAIN ABBREVIATIONS vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Electoral Process of December 2005 1 B. Legal and Electoral Framework 3 1. Electoral officers 4 2. Political parties 4 3. Citizen groups and indigenous peoples 5 4. Selection of prefects 6 CHAPTER II. MISSION BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES AND CHARACTERISTICS 7 A. Mission Objectives 7 B. Preliminary Activities 7 C. Establishment of Mission 8 D. Mission Deployment 9 E. Mission Observers in Political Parties 10 F. Reporting Office 10 CHAPTER III. OBSERVATION OF PROCESS 11 A. Electoral Calendar 11 B. Electoral Training 11 1. Training for electoral judges, notaries, and board members11 2. Disseminating and strengthening democratic values 12 C. Computer System 13 D. Monitoring Electoral Spending and Campaigning 14 E. Security 14 CHAPTER IV. PRE-ELECTION STAGE 15 A. Concerns of Political Parties 15 1. National Electoral Court 15 2. Critical points 15 3. Car traffic 16 4. Sealing of ballot boxes 16 5. Media 17 B. Complaints and Reports 17 1. Voter registration rolls 17 2. Disqualification 17 3.
    [Show full text]
  • The Governor Genera. and the Head of State Functions
    The Governor Genera. and the Head of State Functions THOMAS FRANCK* Lincoln, Nebraska In most, though by no means all democratic states,' the "Head o£ State" is a convenient legal and political fiction the purpose of which is to personify the complex political functions of govern- ment. What distinguishes the operations of this fiction in Canada is the fact that the functions of head of state are not discharged by any one person. Some, by legislative enactment, are vested in the Governor General. Others are delegated to the Governor General by the Crown. Still others are exercised by the Queen in person. A survey of these functions will reveal, however, that many more of the duties of the Canadian head of state are to-day dis- charged by the Governor General than are performed by the Queen. Indeed, it will reveal that some of the functions cannot be dis- charged by anyone else. It is essential that we become aware of this development in Canadian constitutional practice and take legal cognizance of the consequently increasing stature and importance of the Queen's representative in Canada. Formal Vesting of Head of State Functions in Constitutional Governments ofthe Commonnealth Reahns In most of the realms of the Commonwealth, the basic constitut- ional documents formally vest executive power in the Queen. Section 9 of the British North America Act, 1867,2 states: "The Executive Government and authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen", while section 17 establishes that "There shall be one Parliament for Canada, consist- ing of the Queen, an Upper House, styled the Senate, and the *Thomas Franck, B.A., LL.B.
    [Show full text]